Egyptian table tennis champion and 2024 Olympics quarter-finalist. Omar Assar, publicly exposed how the national table tennis federation hindered his and his teammates’ medal prospects.
In an interview with talk show host Amr Adib on 12 August, Assar highlighted how Egypt’s Table Tennis Federation (ETTF) derailed the national team’s preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics through a series of questionable actions.
Assar, 33, revealed that ETTF failed to “invest a single pound” in player preparation for the Olympic Games from January 2024 onward — a period the athlete considers crucial to condition players for the tournament.
The three-time African table tennis champion went on to explain that the federation canceled the essential preparatory camp in Germany just three days before its scheduled start. The federation also failed to replace the camp with any training program held in Egypt, Assar added.
The athlete also mentioned that a Minister of Youth and Sports sent an auditor to ETTF’s headquarters after complaints, with the person being given a record of expenses for accommodation, travel, and food for athletes in Germany, despite the camp’s prior cancellation.
Assar identified the lack of training and preparation as a reason for failing to secure a medal.
ACCUSATIONS OF NEPOTISM
Near the end of the interview, Assar publicly requested that a suitable president be appointed to the federation, indicating incompetency by the current administration. He expressed his desire for a federation president who can develop a support system for top athletes and develop a strong technical team to handle the financial side of the federation.
To illustrate his point further, the athlete revealed that the current president’s brother was appointed Technical Director of the federation, creating difficulties in communication between the players and the federation.
“If I want to raise a complaint to the Technical Director over an issue with the federation, it is now difficult due to the familial relation between the director and the president,” Assar explained.
He added that the coach’s son is an assistant responsible for submitting players’ applications to tournaments – often forgetting to submit certain athletes.
EGYPT’S SPORTS MINISTRY RESPONDS
Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sports responded swiftly to the player’s complaints, publishing a social media press release on 13 August in response to the controversy.
The ministry announced an investigation into the alleged “irregularities in the operations of the Egyptian Table Tennis Federation.” These include issues such as “non-receipt of financial dues,” “lack of discipline in organizing training camps,” and “nepotism in the appointment of administrative and technical staff.”
The ministry also confirmed that it is preparing a detailed report that will include an objective assessment of the federation’s administrative duties, including the “disbursement of support,” “training camp organization,” and the “selection criteria for staff.”
The findings will be made public and legal action will be taken if needed.
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